Our contributor, Erin Gardner of Erin Bakes, is back with a new tutorial today!

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Bewitching Black Butterfly Cake: A Creepy-Cool Halloween Masterpiece

Imagine a gathering of witches, not in a spooky, dark den, but at an extravagant birthday bash. Picture a scene vibrant with arcane delights: bubbling cauldrons, playful black cats, and guests sipping enchanted brews while nibbling on fantastical treats. At the heart of such an event, there would undoubtedly be a show-stopping cake – one that perfectly balances eerie charm with undeniable elegance. This Halloween, bring that magical vision to life with our exclusive Black Butterfly Cake tutorial. Created by the incredibly talented Erin Gardner, this cake transforms a simple dessert into a bewitching centerpiece adorned with a swirling flock of spooky, sparkly butterflies, perfect for your most enchanting Halloween celebration.

This tutorial is designed to guide you through crafting a dessert that is both visually stunning and surprisingly simple to achieve. Whether you’re an experienced baker or a beginner looking to impress, Erin’s clear instructions will help you create a memorable Black Butterfly Cake that will be the talk of any Halloween party. Forget the mundane; this year, embrace the extraordinary and delve into the delightful darkness of a cake that marries the mystique of night with a touch of whimsical sparkle. Get ready to enchant your guests and elevate your Halloween dessert game!

Craft Your Own Bewitching Black Butterfly Cake

a tutorial by Erin Gardner

Essential Supplies for Your Spooky Creation:

Your Favorite Cake: Whether it’s a rich chocolate, a vibrant red velvet, or a classic vanilla, any flavor will do. You can bake from scratch using one of our trusted cake recipes, opt for a convenient box mix, or even use a pre-baked cake.
Black Candy Melts: These are crucial for achieving the perfect deep black color and sturdy structure for your butterflies. They melt smoothly and set quickly, making them ideal for delicate decorations. Find them here: Black candy melts
Silver Sanding Sugar: This edible sugar adds a dazzling, shimmering effect to your butterflies, giving them that “spooky, sparkly” look. Silver sanding sugar
Parchment Paper: Essential for tracing and working with candy melts, ensuring easy release of your delicate butterfly wings.
Black Marker: For drawing your butterfly wing templates.
Cardboard: A simple piece of cardboard, folded into a V-shape, will be your secret weapon for shaping the butterflies’ wings as they set, giving them a realistic, three-dimensional look.
Assorted Sprinkles and Edible Stars: To enhance the mystical aura of your cake. Consider various sizes and shapes of silver and black sprinkles, along with edible silver stars for that celestial touch.
Piping Bag or Paper Cone: For precise application of the melted candy melts.

Step-by-Step Guide to Your Black Butterfly Cake:

1. Prepare Your Cake Base

Begin by baking and assembling your cake. You can choose any of our delicious cake recipes or use your go-to box mix. Once your cake layers are stacked, it’s time to frost it. For this eerie design, I opted for a dramatic black buttercream frosting, which provides a striking contrast and a perfect canvas for the shimmering butterflies. To add a subtle pop of mystique, I also incorporated swirls of purple frosting, creating a depth that is both spooky and elegant. When coloring buttercream black, it often helps to start with a chocolate frosting base to reduce the amount of food coloring needed, preventing any potential bitter taste.

2. Design Your Butterfly Wings

Take a piece of parchment paper and unleash your inner artist. Draw a set of butterfly wings directly onto the paper using a black marker. Don’t worry about perfection; a freehand approach can add character! If you prefer a more symmetrical look or find freehand drawing challenging, simply print out a butterfly wing template from online and trace it. You can create various sizes and shapes of wings to add diversity to your butterfly swarm.

3. Prepare for Piping

Once your templates are drawn, flip the parchment paper over so the ink is facing down. This prevents the marker ink from transferring onto your edible candy melts, ensuring your butterflies remain food-safe and pristine.

4. Melt and Pipe the Candy Melts

Melt your black candy melts according to the package directions. Typically, this involves microwaving in short bursts and stirring until smooth. Be careful not to overheat them, as this can make them seize. Once melted, pour the smooth candy into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip, or into a paper cone for fine lines. Carefully trace the outlines of your butterfly wings on the flipped parchment paper, then fill them in completely, ensuring an even layer of candy melt.

5. Add the Sparkle

This step requires speed! Immediately after filling in the wings, generously pour silver sanding sugar over the wet candy melts. Ensure every part of the wing is completely covered. The sanding sugar will adhere to the wet candy, creating a stunning, glittery effect that catches the light beautifully. This magical shimmer is what truly transforms them from simple black shapes into creepy-cool Halloween decorations.

6. Allow Wings to Set

Let the candy melt wings firm up at room temperature for approximately 10 minutes. Once solid, carefully lift the parchment paper and gently shake off the excess sanding sugar back into its jar for future use. You’ll be left with perfectly formed, shimmering butterfly wings.

7. Form the Butterfly Bodies

To give your butterflies a realistic, open-wing appearance, take a piece of cardboard and fold it in half, then open it back up to form a V-shape. Line this V-shaped cardboard with a clean piece of parchment paper. This clever setup will help the wings set with a gentle curve. Pipe a line of black candy melts into the fold of the parchment paper; this will serve as your butterfly’s body. Carefully arrange two butterfly wings, ensuring they are both in contact with the melted candy body. You can adjust their angle slightly to create different flying poses – some more open, some slightly closed. This step is crucial for giving your butterflies a lifelike, dynamic feel.

8. Secure and Harden

Once the wings are positioned, pipe another thin line of black candy melts on top of the original body line. This acts as a reinforcement, securely attaching the wings to the body. Set the entire butterfly aside in the V-shaped cardboard to harden completely. This ensures the butterfly maintains its delicate, curved shape. Give it ample time to set, ideally at least 15-20 minutes, or until the candy is firm to the touch. Once hardened, carefully remove the completed butterflies from the parchment paper.

9. Decorate Your Halloween Cake

Now for the fun part: adorning your cake! Use your spooky, sparkly butterflies to create a captivating swarm effect across your buttercream-iced cake. You can arrange them in varying heights and directions, making it look as though they are gracefully taking flight. For added visual interest and to enhance the “swarm” illusion, I also crafted a few tiny plain black butterflies without sanding sugar, which provides a lovely textural contrast to the sparkly ones. These versatile candy melt butterflies also make fantastic creepy-cool cupcake toppers!

10. Final Touches for a Witchy Creation

To complete this enchanting Black Butterfly Cake, elevate the magical theme with a variety of edible embellishments. I used a delightful mix of small edible silver stars, larger silver candy stars, shimmering silver jimmies, and elegant black sugar pearls. This combination adds layers of texture and sparkle, reminiscent of a starry night sky. To ground the design and add an extra touch of mystique, the base of the cake is adorned with white rock candy crystals, creating a crystalline effect that evokes images of enchanted ice or a shimmering potion. This blend of black, silver, and purple (from the frosting) truly captures the essence of a sophisticated yet spooky Halloween celebration.

Tips for Success & Creative Variations:

Melting Candy Melts: Always melt candy melts slowly and in short intervals to prevent scorching or seizing. If they become too thick, a tiny amount of vegetable shortening can help thin them out, but be cautious not to add too much.
Butterfly Shapes: Experiment with different butterfly wing shapes and sizes. You can create large focal butterflies and smaller ones to fill in gaps, creating a more dynamic “swarm” effect.
Color Variations: While black and silver are perfect for a creepy-cool theme, don’t hesitate to experiment with other colors! Imagine deep purple butterflies with iridescent glitter, or even dark green candy melts for a forest witch vibe.
Sanding Sugar Alternatives: If silver isn’t your preference, black sanding sugar can create a more subdued shimmer, or even edible glitter for an intense sparkle.
Troubleshooting: If your candy melt wings break when you try to remove them, they might not be hard enough, or you might be using too thin a layer of candy. Ensure they are fully set and try to make your candy melt layer slightly thicker next time.
Beyond Cakes: These elegant candy melt butterflies aren’t just for cakes! They can be used to adorn cupcakes, cookies, brownies, or even as edible garnishes for Halloween-themed drinks.
Kid-Friendly Activity: This project is fun for all ages! Kids can help draw the wing templates or sprinkle the sanding sugar, making it a wonderful family Halloween activity.

This Black Butterfly Cake is more than just a dessert; it’s a piece of edible art that embodies the spirit of Halloween. It’s spooky, it’s elegant, and it’s surprisingly simple to create. So gather your supplies, embrace the magic, and get ready to bake a masterpiece that will captivate all who dare to indulge. Happy Halloween, and happy baking!

Velvet Butterfly Gateau